Intellectual Property Questionnaire - Eng/Phys

The attached form has been designed as a download; please feel free to expand the spaces provided so that you may answer questions completely and to duplicate blocks for adding additional contributors, research sponsors, and publications.

Instructions:
Intellectual Property Questionnaire (IPQ)
for Engineering and the Physical Sciences

Getting Started

The completion of the attached Intellectual Property Questionnaire (IPQ) is the first step in the disclosure of new inventions discovered at UT Austin. The questionnaire serves three purposes. First, it isused as a source of basic information to assist the Office of Technology Commercialization (OTC) and the Intellectual Property Committee (IPC) to evaluate your invention. Second, the questionnaire serves as documentation and evidence of the creation of your invention. And, third, the questionnaire serves as a first disclosure to the patent attorney or patent agents that may be assigned to your invention and serves as an information base for patentability searches and opinions.

The IPQ is divided into five major sections. It is important that each be filled out completely. The relevance of each section is discussed below:

#1 –Scientific Contributor Information

The information contained in this section will first be used to identify all those who participated in the inventive process. The balance of the information, such as home address and telephone, will be included in various legal documents filed in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and is also used for distribution purposes should your invention generate licensing income. It istherefore essential that each contributor be given the opportunity to reviewthe information contained in the disclosure for accuracy and completeness. It is required that each contributor personally sign-off on the disclosure. If not all contributors are UT employees or have left UT employ, those signatures can be obtained at a later time. However, providing names and contact information for them is essential.

#2 – Description of the Invention

Your description of the invention will be used to evaluate the technology both scientifically and for commercial potential as well as to initiate any marketing efforts by OTC. Please be thorough in answering each question on the disclosure. Although some of the questions may at first glance appear to be similar, each is unique. This is your opportunity to "sell" your technology.

#3 – Publications and/or Oral Disclosures and Related Background Information

Publications and oral disclosures have a bearing on the potential patentability of your invention. Background technology information is used to assist in better understanding your invention as well as to identify potentially competitive technology. Should the university elect to file a patent application for your technology, this information will be provided to legal counsel as part of the application process.

#4 – Financial Resources Used/Prior Obligations

Funding agencies, private grantors, and research sponsors often have rights in inventions. The information provided in this section will serve to protect the rights of those who have contributed resources to your project.

#5 – Non-Proprietary Description

This one-page summary will be used as a marketing resource by OTC. Samples and format are provided for your convenience.

Email to:

Send signed original to:

WPR Building, Suite 1.9A (R3500)

Official processing of this invention disclosure cannot begin until it is fully completed, signed by all UT inventors and the principal investigator for the research (whether or not the principal investigator is an inventor), and submitted to the Office of Technology Commercialization.

Section 1 – Scientific Contributor Information

Title of Invention

1.1Title suggested by inventors:______

Principal Investigator/Unit Director

1.2Please list the principal investigator or unit director for the research that led to the creation of the intellectual property.

Name______EID______

Department______Position______

Work address______Work phone______

Email______Fax______

Home address______Home phone______

Country of citizenship[1]______Other appt______

Administrative contact for furnishing additional information if required:

Name______Position______

Email______Work phone______

Did the principal investigator/unit director contribute to the creation of the intellectual property? (check one) []Yes[]No

Principal Investigator’s/Unit Director’s signature______

Other Contributors

1.3Please list all those who contributed to the creation of the intellectual property disclosed. (Copy this block to list additional contributors.)

Name______EID______

Department______Position______

Work address______Work phone______

Email______Fax______

Home address______Home phone______

Country of citizenship*______Other appt______

Contributor's signature______

Name______EID______

Department______Position______

Work address______Work phone______

Email______Fax______

Home address______Home phone______

Country of citizenship*______Other appt______

Contributor's signature______

Name______EID______

Department______Position______

Work address______Work phone______

Email______Fax______

Home address______Home phone______

Country of citizenship*______Other appt______

Contributor's signature______

Relationship of Inventors to UT

1.4At the time of making an inventive contribution to the disclosed invention, were all inventors acting in their capacity as employees of The University of Texas at Austin?
(check one) []Yes[]No

If No, please identify and explain:______

1.5If the answer to 1.4 was No, did all of the inventors listed in Section 1.4 use university resources or facilities in making their contribution to the invention?
(check one) []Yes[]No

If No, please identify and explain:______

1.6Was any portion of the research that led to this invention conducted at another institution, a company or otherwise outside of the university?
(check one) []Yes[]No

If Yes, please identify and explain:______

Does an inter-institutional agreement (IIA) exist? (check one) []Yes[]No

Expedited Patent Prosecution

1.7 (Optional) Does any contributor to the creation of the intellectual property qualify for United States Patent and Trademark Office expedited patent prosecution (available if any inventor is over the age of 65)?

If so, who?______

Section 2 – Description of the Invention

Intellectual Property Description

2.1Please categorize the potential uses of your invention below by checking all anticipated uses (check one or more):

[ ] Service[ ]Process

[ ]Material[ ]Compositionof matter

[ ]Method[ ]Other

2.2Briefly summarize the invention, its use and purpose.

2.3What particular features of the invention are unusual AND how do they differ from present technology(ies)?

2.4What problem(s) does it solve?

2.5What advantages over current technologies does it possess?

2.6Does the invention possess disadvantages or have limitations?Can they be overcome?How?

2.7If not indicated previously, are there other uses that might be realized in the future?

2.8Fill in the following dates (month/date/year):

Date of conception:______

Date of first written record of invention:______

Date of first experiment demonstrating the invention:______

Materials Used

2.9If a material from a secondary sourceis incorporated or was used in the research that lead to the development of the invention, was this material obtained from some source other than your laboratory?(check one) []Yes[]No
If No, please skip to Question 2.10.

a) What is (are) the material(s)?______

Please specify the source of the material(s):

Another UT Austin laboratory:______

A company:______

Another university or non-profit institution:______

Other (please explain):______

b) Was this material(s) covered by a Material Transfer Agreement, Sponsored Research
Agreement, Collaboration Agreement, or any other type of agreement? (check one) []Yes[]No

If Yes, with whom?______

Software

2.10Is software incorporated into your invention?(check one) []Yes[]No
If No, please skip to Question 2.11.

a) Is software:

[]an original work

[]obtained from a third-party source

b) If obtained from third-party source, please specify source(s).______

Commercialization Information

2.11What companies do you believe would be interested in commercializing the invention?

2.12Have you worked with/been approached by any companies regarding the invention?
(check one) []Yes[]No

If Yes, which companies?

Section 3 – Public Disclosures and Background Information

Please note: Journal publications, poster sessions, abstract submission(s), and oral presentationsmay all be considered as disclosures and should be listed below.

With respect to all publications and disclosures listed below, attach a copy of the publication(s), a draft copy if available and not yet published, and/or any overheads or materials used in oral presentations. (Copy the block below to list additional public disclosures.)

Prior Disclosures

3.1Have there been any public disclosures of this invention priorto your submission of this form?(check one) []Yes[]No

If Yes, please identify:

Title of publication/presentation______